“Salman Khan is finished.” “He is over.” “Now, Salman can never win back people’s confidence.” “The superstar’s films are now history.”
You must’ve read these and similar statements in the last six days. And plenty of times in the six days. But don’t be naive to believe that anything or all of this is going to happen.
Salman Khan is far from “over” or “finished”. Producers will not stop going to him to sign him for their next project. The actor will not have a dearth of projects to choose from. There will still be hopeful producers and directors waiting to start a film with the Khan, so what if his latest, Sikandar, is a box-office debacle.
WHAT WILL CHANGE?
Does that mean, nothing has changed for Salman after the terrible flopping of Sikandar, which released on 30th March on the festive occasion of Eid and yet bombed, the festival spirit notwithstanding? Well, not exactly. Things have changed.
Salman Khan may not get the price he demands and commands, now that all his films since 2017, except for Tiger Zinda Hai (2017) and Tiger 3 (2023) — Tubelight, Race 3, Bharat, Dabangg 3, Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan and the latest, Sikandar — have proved to be flops at the box-office. Thankfully, Radhe had its premiere on OTT, otherwise, the number of box-office flops would’ve been seven instead of the present six! That means an average of almost one flop a year.
There’s a very famous saying in filmi parlance: films never flop, it is the price which flops.
PRICE REDUCTION
Since Salman Khan charges over Rs. 100 crore for every film he works in, his films end up being made on budgets ranging between Rs. 175 crore and 300 crore. Even if we were to assume that his starrers get decent prices for sale of digital and satellite rights, we have to understand that that will change now. For one, so many flops and debacles in a row are bound to have an adverse impact on the price of OTT and satellite rights of his starrers. Secondly, the failure of the aforementioned films underlines the fact that Salman’s popularity is on the decline. He would need a blockbuster to resurrect himself in the eyes, the minds and the hearts of the people. Till he does so, the market will not be able to bear the burden of his high price. And if the marketability of his films is under a cloud, he will have to change something, if not everything around him, drastically. Just recently, two films starring Salman Khan — both of which were being directed by South directors — were shelved because of, among other things, budget problems. The producers of both the films realised that the recoveries from the films could not match the costs unless the films proved super-blockbusters. Big production houses like to hedge their risks when launching new films, but in the case of the Salman starrers, this was just not possible.
If Salman Khan does not rethink his remuneration, he will find it difficult to get a producer to sign him. Of course, the details would never be revealed, but the next film Salman signs will have to be on terms which the star may never have thought of.
INTERFERENCE
Salman should also stop interfering in the scripting of his films. Let it now be said in clear terms that the actor has been making changes to his scripts left, right and centre. Sometimes, the changes are so drastic that an emotional track is added in the script, where none existed when the film was conceived. And it is added not because it makes sense but despite not making sense as otherwise, Salman may not like it. Films can’t be made like that, they shouldn’t be made like that. An actor may have the creative urge in him but for that, he should himself write or direct a film rather than forcing changes in his starrers. Once the actor writes his own film, he can also write the lyrics himself, make its music and do whatever else he wants to do. But to ruin a project because of his interference and just because his producers are used to indulging him is in bad taste.
And yes, Salman needs to open his mouth while speaking his dialogues in front of the camera. He is paid for that, it’s not being asked of him as a favour. So there!
